The embodiments of the present invention relate to graphical user interfaces and in-memory databases for intuitive management of complex information, and in particular to customizing Sankey diagrams depicted in graphical user interfaces. A Sankey diagram is a specific type of flow diagram in which the depicted width of each path is typically proportional to the flow quantity through that path. Such depictions may rapidly communicate flow information in a wide variety of scenarios, enabling a rapid clear overview of a process.
Originally created to visually describe the flow of energy through a steam engine, Sankey diagrams are now also used to describe information, material, and cost flows in a business enterprise for example. As enterprise resource management increases in complexity, Sankey diagrams are becoming increasingly important tools for helping users intuitively understand the dynamics of various business activities. Further, Sankey diagrams may be dynamically updated to show not only historical but also current operational information.
Users of modern enterprise resource management tools may expect evaluation and depiction of possibly very complex and ever-changing business data and interrelationships in essentially real time in many cases. The fastest available databases thus may be needed to select, process, and display the relevant information in a manner that appears essentially continuous to a user. In-memory databases that primarily operate on data stored in a computer system's main memory tend to be faster than older databases that required significant external secondary storage input/output operations. In-memory databases may also perform data operations other than calculations (i.e., comparisons, transfers, etc.) much faster than they perform calculations.
In-memory databases may thus span both the traditional transactional queries that were historically performed only periodically for reporting purposes, and analytical queries that may require the immediate availability of operational data to enable accurate business insights and real time decision making. An in-memory database may be of particular and even critical utility for the rapid data processing and updating of Sankey diagram depictions. An example of an in-memory database is the SAP® High Performance Analytics Appliance (HANA®) database.
Business tool users may wish to customize Sankey diagrams to select and depict information from high-volume high-speed data describing business operations in particular ways. For example, users in finance, customer service, and marketing groups may each have their own ideas about which information is particularly useful for their needs. Accordingly, the inventors have developed improvements for the customization of graphical user interfaces for Sankey diagrams using in-memory technology.